I was flipping through an old 1999 edition of Lindy's Football today, and this quote from Tommy Tuberville really stood out to me. It was a few months after he was hired. They asked him: with all the negativity surrounding the program, such as the messy Bowden divorce, the NDA, the backing out of the FSU opener, the severe lack of talent, the off-season issues with numerous players, where does he go from here? How is he going to turn all of this around?
And Tubs replied, "We have to win. Winning solves a lot of problems."
It seems strange, at least to me, that even before the SEC became as "big" as it is today and sport was less visible in a very general sense, even Tuberville understood that despite the initial circumstances he inherited, there would be no opportunity for him to make excuses for poor play, for losses, for anything. He knew Auburn was severely outmatched in almost all key positions, he knew his starting quarterback situation was abysmal, and he knew that a good portion of Auburn fans wanted Brother Bill or Pat Sullivan instead of him. There wasn't much of a honeymoon in store for Tuberville.
And yet, despite our grievances with him, whether it be the elite coach, the washed up coach, or the crooked politician, Tuberville did right by this place, and he did it in an era without the portal. His initial recruiting classes, while solid, never sniffed the top 5, but he had a staff in place that excelled at player development, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. It was a staff that emphasized toughness, accountability, and consistency. Tuberville's first three teams were picked last or close to last in the conference by almost all media outlets. He went 5-6, 9-4, and 7-5, including several signature wins, a division title, and two bowl appearances.
That is overachieving. That is a clear upward trajectory. That is someone who actually gives a shit.
Fast-forward to today, and we find ourselves in a similar, but probably worse situation as we did in 1998-1999. But to be honest, I just don't see any accountability on this staff, starting with the head man. I don't see a chip on his shoulder. I don't see hunger. I see someone who looks miserable and tired. Most of all, I see someone who doesn't have any answers, except to acquire more and more and more talent, and hope to Christ they all stick around and it works out.
I had a chance to talk with Tuberville a few years ago in Montgomery and I asked him if his first three years at Auburn were tough, trying to build the program back basically from scratch.
He told me they were some of the greatest years of his life.
And Tubs replied, "We have to win. Winning solves a lot of problems."
It seems strange, at least to me, that even before the SEC became as "big" as it is today and sport was less visible in a very general sense, even Tuberville understood that despite the initial circumstances he inherited, there would be no opportunity for him to make excuses for poor play, for losses, for anything. He knew Auburn was severely outmatched in almost all key positions, he knew his starting quarterback situation was abysmal, and he knew that a good portion of Auburn fans wanted Brother Bill or Pat Sullivan instead of him. There wasn't much of a honeymoon in store for Tuberville.
And yet, despite our grievances with him, whether it be the elite coach, the washed up coach, or the crooked politician, Tuberville did right by this place, and he did it in an era without the portal. His initial recruiting classes, while solid, never sniffed the top 5, but he had a staff in place that excelled at player development, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. It was a staff that emphasized toughness, accountability, and consistency. Tuberville's first three teams were picked last or close to last in the conference by almost all media outlets. He went 5-6, 9-4, and 7-5, including several signature wins, a division title, and two bowl appearances.
That is overachieving. That is a clear upward trajectory. That is someone who actually gives a shit.
Fast-forward to today, and we find ourselves in a similar, but probably worse situation as we did in 1998-1999. But to be honest, I just don't see any accountability on this staff, starting with the head man. I don't see a chip on his shoulder. I don't see hunger. I see someone who looks miserable and tired. Most of all, I see someone who doesn't have any answers, except to acquire more and more and more talent, and hope to Christ they all stick around and it works out.
I had a chance to talk with Tuberville a few years ago in Montgomery and I asked him if his first three years at Auburn were tough, trying to build the program back basically from scratch.
He told me they were some of the greatest years of his life.
